


Fun Night

by CallingAllCarstairs



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Bruce Wayne is Bored, Canon-Typical Violence, Damian Wayne is Robin, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Gen, Jason Todd is Red Hood, One Shot, Tim Drake is Robin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:40:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25875250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallingAllCarstairs/pseuds/CallingAllCarstairs
Summary: Tim adjusted his bowtie and treated his brother to a dead-eyed glare through the mirror.‘Aww, I love you, too!’ Dick said with a smile. He thumped Tim on the back and started toward the door. ‘Cheer up! It’s Bruce’s birthday. And believe me, he hates this way more than you do.’--------------------------------------------------It's a Bruce Wayne birthday gala - what could go wrong? (Everything. The answer is everything.)
Kudos: 37





	Fun Night

‘I hate this.’

‘Come on, it could be fun!’

‘I hate this.’

‘It’s a chance to get yourself out there, you know? Show the ladies the Tim Drake they’ll come to love!’

‘I hate _you_.’

‘That’s fair.’

Tim adjusted his bowtie and treated his brother to a dead-eyed glare through the mirror.

‘Aww, I love you, too!’ Dick said with a smile. He thumped Tim on the back and started toward the door. ‘Cheer up! It’s Bruce’s birthday. And believe me, he hates this _way_ more than you do.’

_That was certainly true_ , thought Tim. He heaved a sigh, put on his best attempt at a happy face, and followed his brother out into the throng of people visiting the Manor. He’d been better at feigning contentment before he’d moved in with Bruce and Alfred.

Dick was already yakking it up with some of Bruce’s society friends, but that was Dick for you. Comfortable in any room. Especially if he can be in the center of it. How was it so easy for him?

A group of middle-aged women were in a corner doting and fawning over Damian. Tim smiled as one of them actually pinched Damian’s cheek. _There’s a silver lining, at least._

Bruce seemed to be somewhat at ease talking to Lucius Fox by the bannister. Leslie was with them, listening intently. Even if they were being interrupted by well-wishers every few seconds, it was good that Bruce was able to have some true friends close by on his birthday.

Alfred, who had refused to take the night off as always, was making the rounds with the hors d’oeuvres, happy simply to see so many bright faces around the place.

Tim dodged some well-meaning upper-crusters who felt the need to tell him how wonderful it was that Bruce had taken him in after ‘all that nasty business’. Tim didn’t need reminding. It was bad enough being trapped here with half of Arkham on the loose without having to make big-time small talk with strangers. Dick would say he was being unfriendly. Dick was probably right.

He grabbed a glass of water and spotted Jason trying not to be noticed behind the piano. Tim edged over to join him. Jason was less than pleased to be found.

‘I’m not going to talk to you.’

‘Thank God.’

There was a long and comfortable silence. Tim scanned the room. Dick must have made his way through half the room by now, leaving them laughing whenever he walked away. Tim accidentally met Alfred’s eye for a moment and quickly wished he hadn’t. He was feeling guilty enough. Damian had escaped the gaggle and was making a beeline for the two of them.

‘Two’s company, three’s conspicuous,’ Jason said quietly. ‘Get lost.’

‘Tt.’ Damian stalked right back into another waiting crowd of old biddies. _Cheek Pinching Part II: The Hair Is Tousled_ commenced, much to Tim’s wry amusement.

Barbara suddenly rolled up beside them.

‘Grab a seat and stay a while,’ she said. ‘You two look like you’re ready to bolt, and trust me, it doesn’t work. Dick tried it plenty when it was just him. You do not want that particular brand of Pennyworth wrath. It’s a solidarity issue.’

Tim laughed. Even Jason cracked a smile. Babs could do that. They both sat down on the piano bench and tried to come to terms with the inevitable.

Barbara made nice with the passers-by and sent several of them to find Dick and Damian, insisting that she ‘wanted these two all to herself for a while’. She was, in a word, a godsend. After a while, they loosened up, but Tim was still itching to suit up.

‘Shouldn’t someone at least be on the monitors?’ he entreated Barbara quietly. ‘It’s been chaos for days. Your dad isn’t even here. We can’t really afford to take the night off.’

‘Timothy, look at me.’ Babs grabbed his chin and forced the movement. ‘Relax. My dad wouldn’t be here if this were a crime-free holiday instituted by every don in Gotham. Besides, who do you think you’re talking to? I’m always “on the monitors”.’

A shriek echoed out from the entrance hall. Two gunshots fired.

Tim held his hand out to Babs. She immediately obliged with a collection of earpieces.

‘I’ll get Dick,’ he said. ‘Wait until Alfie sends the signal. We don’t want to be too obvious.’ _It's probably bad that my mood just improved, right? Think about that later._

A gang of five - no, six - gunmen were jostling people back away from the windows. Jason was hitching his jacket up to access his ever-handy firearms, but Babs would keep him cool until they could get situated. Damian was safely - and forcibly - ensconced behind Bruce. Alfred had already disappeared. Tim pushed his way through the shouting crowd to Dick. He slipped his brother an earpiece, fitting in his own.

‘Won’t we be a little obvious all at once?’ Dick protested.

‘That’s what I said,’ Tim said with a mirthless smile. ‘Just go do your thing, and I’ll do mine. Quick, before Jason loses it.’

‘My thing? What’s my thing?’

‘You know, “the show must go on”? Isn’t that you carnies?’

‘Carnies work carnivals, but I’ll educate you later. Where are you headed?’

‘The fuse box. Just get close. Go. You’re on.’

Tim gave Dick a little push forward and melted back into the nervous crowd. Dick took a deep breath and stepped toward the gunmen with his hands up.

‘Gentlemen! I don’t think I saw your names on the guest list. Can I help you with something?’

All eyes were on him, most importantly the twelve belonging to the intruders.

‘We can start with your wallet, Mr. Grayson,’ said one of the thugs, shoving his gun in Dick’s chest. Dick considered then dismissed fifteen different ways to disarm him. He must have been feeling generous, too, since only two of them left the guy’s arm broken.

‘Okay, so you’ve done your homework. And obviously nobody here is exactly strapped for cash,’ he laughed, looking around the room. His eyes met Barbara's. She nodded him on. ‘But aren’t these pickings just a little too easy for the likes of you?’

Alfred’s voice whispered in his ear. ‘Might I suggest a slightly more intoxicated approach, Master Richard?’

_Right._ Not an uncommon tactic at a Wayne function. _Give Tim the time. Lay it on thick._

‘You look like a tough guy,’ slurred Dick. ‘Wanna brawl for it?’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Yeah, that’s right,’ shouted Dick, turning to the room at large. ‘What do ya say, people? You wanna see a fair fight?’

The butt of a pistol hit Dick in the back of the head. He fell to his knees and turned to see a most unwelcome sight.

‘Oh, I can deal with fair. I don’t think we need bother so much with the “fight”.’

‘Dent,’ said Dick through gritted teeth. He fought back some flashes from years back, but reminded himself that that was Robin’s business, not Dick Grayson’s.

‘That’s right. You just sit tight and we’ll see what the coin has to say about your thrilling heroics. Or is it just drunken ramblings?’

Two-Face pulled out his coin. Every muscle in Dick’s body was aching to move.

‘Master Timothy, speed is of the essence,’ Dick heard Alfred in his ear.

‘I’m almost there!’ Tim panted back. ‘Damned generators…’

Dick saw Jason’s weight shift. _Buy just a few more seconds. Come on, little bird._

‘What, am I s’posed ta call it?’

‘Not exactly.’

‘Can I flip it?’ Dick made a stumbling grab for the coin, which earned him another pistol-whip. Those he could take. Bullets were another story.

Dent showed him the two sides of his coin and explained the game, one that Nightwing knew well. Dick Grayson had only read about in the papers. He flipped the coin high in the air.

‘Master Timothy! Now!’

‘Got it!’

The room went dark.

_Finally_ , thought Dick. Fifteen seconds later, Dent and the man Dick had been dealing with were incapacitated. Three muffled _schwips_ from Jason’s direction and a bone crack from Bruce’s accounted for the rest of the gatecrashers.

‘Mistress Barbara, all looks well on infrared. Is everyone settled in?’

Babs whispered back an affirmative.

‘Master Timothy, you may restore the power.’

The lights flickered back on. The crowd gasped at the seven unconscious figures scattered in front of them. Dick gasped right along with them, the consummate performer. Jason subtly tucked his shirt back in place. There was a satisfied ‘Tt’ from Damian.

‘Splendid work, all of you,’ said Alfred in their ears. ‘Shall I phone- ?’

‘Someone call the police!’ shouted Bruce, rushing to Dick’s side. ‘Are you all right?’

He hugged him close.

‘It’s fine, Bruce. We took care of everything,’ said Dick close to Bruce’s ear.

‘I had not doubts. Well done.’

Bruce turned back to attend to the others. Dick got to his feet and found Tim wandering in through the back room, his suit in disarray.

‘Nicely done, little bird,’ he mumbled.

‘You weren’t so bad yourself. You should think about going professional. Although, I only caught the radio version,’ Tim said with a smirk. ‘Sorry for the close call.’

‘Nah, Jason would’ve taken care of it if it came down to it. You did fine,’ he said, mussing up Tim’s hair to match his clothes. ‘So what did I tell you? Fun right?’

Tim laughed. ‘Yeah,’ he said with a smile. ‘Fun.’

**Author's Note:**

> Lighter fare than earlier postings, but I love some basic peril and Batboy angst!
> 
> My friends and I (among many others, I'm sure) refer to the boys as 'brothers' consistently, so that's happening here, too. Not suggesting any AU blood relation, just the regular old fraternal bond.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed Bruce's birthday more than he did!


End file.
